About Us

Wilderness Wind’s mission is to nurture our relationships to God and creation through wilderness living that promotes spirituality, cooperation and environmental sustainability.

What is Wilderness Wind?

It is an experience that includes:

wilderness travel and awareness

seeking God

re-examining our relationship with creation

relationship building

self-discovery

solitude

wildlife

skill enhancement

two locations for folks with different needs and interests

Wilderness Wind (WW) offers wilderness experiences for individuals and groups regardless of skill level and experience. We offer canoe trips into the Minnesota Boundary Waters and the Canadian Quetico. Wilderness Wind also has a Lakeside Retreat with a large yurt and four cabins on Armstrong Lake. Whether you are interested in a canoe trip or staying at the cabins, we work to tailor the experience to the interests and abilities of your group.

In addition, while offering retreats and spiritual experiences, we encourage others to examine their relationship with creation. As Earth sustains all life, and as we believe that God called it into existence out of goodness, we take the last phrase of our mission statement seriously (environmental sustainability). Living sustainably is an important component of our faith expression and we consider our relationship with that which sustains us on a daily basis.

Where is Wilderness Wind?

Nestled along the 49th parallel is a great expanse of wilderness covering more than 1 million acres. This wilderness area is known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Minnesota, USA) and the Quetico (Ontario, Canada). The commitment to the preservation of these areas allows visitors to see and experience them as they have been for centuries: pristine, quiet and challenging. Traveling on the hundreds of miles of canoe routes also gives us a glimpse of the history as we imagine the lives of Native peoples, French fur traders, and logging crews. Click here for more information on Superior National Forest.

As you paddle through some of the nearly 2,000 lakes you will note a landscape like no other. This region, created by glaciers, is a network of rivers, streams and portages. You will camp at designated sites with only your group. Each site within the Boundary Waters includes a fire grate and latrine. In the Quetico, there are no improvements to the campsites and you can camp in any suitable location.

While in the Northwoods, some visitors need a few last-minute items before their canoe trip. Ely is six miles from our Pine Ridge location, and 10 miles from the Lakeside cabins. Though Ely is not a large town, it offers a wide variety of goods and services. Canoe campers can get clothing, fishing supplies and bait, and photo finishing. Lakeside guests will be able to find laundry facilities, groceries, more information about area trails, as well as visit the International Wolf Center, participate in Ely festivals and relax in locally owned restaurants. See below to find more information about the Ely and surrounding area.